Water changes needed or not?

[SwimsWithFish]

You will soon enough lol. Might as well start researching for your future purchases lol.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=597

Lol we sound like used car salesmen!!

 

[BallinCrew10]

Lol we sound like used car salesmen!!

Hahaha I know. Help me help you, what can I do to get this frogspawn in your tank today? Lol the worst part is I clicked my own link and started looking around making a shopping list in my head haha.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Hahaha I know. Help me help you, what can I do to get this frogspawn in your tank today? Lol the worst part is I clicked my own link and started looking around making a shopping list in my head haha.

LMAO. "what can I do to get this frogspawn in your tank today?" classic!

 

[Bloomk]

So can I do 20 gallon every other week instead of weekly? Wife would prefer that..

 

[Fishguy2727]

Weekly is ideal. That will keep the tank running as well as possible, and when life happens and you miss one you are fine. IME it is easier for people to keep up a weekly schedule if they always do it on the same day. It is more routine.

 

[Strawman]

Think of it this way. If your dog defecates in his cage would you let it stay in there for a two weeks or remove it right upon sight or soon there after. Now apply thisconcept to weekly water changes

 

[Keeler]

So PWC's are a must?
I'm curious as I've had my current 30 gallon setup for 5 months and have never done a PWC, prior to that I ran a 55 gallon for 2 years and never did one except when it was cycling. I run a mixture of reef and fish and everything seems to be growing fine.

 

[carey]

What are your nitrate readings? Thats a good indicator right there.

 

[Fishguy2727]

Yes, every tank needs a good water change schedule.

Two years is nothing. Tanks should be able to thrive for years and years. I am not sure what problems you have had, if any, but most tanks with that water change schedule would have algae and other problems.

 

[Keeler]

Yes, every tank needs a good water change schedule.

Two years is nothing. Tanks should be able to thrive for years and years. I am not sure what problems you have had, if any, but most tanks with that water change schedule would have algae and other problems.

I haven't ran into any issues yet. My trites, trates, ammonia, are 0. Calcium, CH, PH, etc are all good. I grew up with my parents having them and they never changed the water out, we just topped it off once a week or so. I've just always done it this way.
I had always heard the water never carries any bacteria it's the rocks/sand/filters. So changing the water didn't do much. If it hasn't caused me any problems previously do you think I'll be okay to continue this way or should I start doing the PWC's? I don't want to kill everything in my tank, I sold the 55 gallon for a good profit otherwise I would still have it. My 30 gallon so far hasn't had any issues and I'm currently setting up a 10g nano.

 

[carey]

It's kinda impossible to have 0 nitrates unless you have some macro algae in the system. Are you testing with test strips or a liquid test like API test tube kit? There has got to be nitrates in there, lol.

I would consider yourself lucky if you havent had any issues thus far but I would urge you to reconsider no water changes. it WILL eventually catch up with you.

If you have corals are you dosing anything? cause thats how the corals get their trace elements from your salt mix or chemicals.

 

[Fishguy2727]

There are all sorts of things that build up in the water that must be removed. What test kit are you using?
Corals and fish give off chemicals that other corals and fish don't do well with, like toxins and growth inhibiting hormones.

Bacteria not being in the water has nothing to with water changes.

Yes, do 10% water changes weekly.

 

[Keeler]

I might not have 0 nitrates but I'm using the API kit and it looks like 0 maybe .25. About two weeks ago I had the water tested at my LFS. Everything came back good just the calcium was low at like 380ppm. I've since raised it to around 460. I have fed the corals with Marine snow (Maybe) I don't remember what the chemical is and I'm not home currently to check. I also add calcium and other chemicals pending what's low or high.

I run a protein skimmer, filter, 35 lbs LR, chemi-pure, etc. It's a t5 light with moon LEDs. I have xenia, frogspawn, clowns, dottieback, serpent star, mushrooms, green brain, polyps, cleaning crew, and some smaller frags.
I change my filter about every 2 months and I always put in the new one for a week prior to removing the old one. I use Tap water to top off that's treated with Prime. My tap water is good according to the test tube, just has extra chlorine in it but I make sure to let it sit out and treat it for a week or so prior to using it.

 

[Fishguy2727]

Live rock removes nitrate, so it is very possible to have 0 nitrate without macroalgae. In my system the chaeto wouldn't grow because it had nothing to work with (because of the live rock).

I do agree that the test may be inaccurate though, although it is possible it is unlikely with the stated lack of water changes.

 

[Fishguy2727]

Nitrate doesn't go from 0 to 0.25, it goes from 0 to 5. Test nitrate again tonight and let us know.

Some of those corals (especially the Xenia) help clean the water, so that may be helping too.

 

[Keeler]

Okay I can test it again tonight, the Xenia isn't large but there are probably 5 or 6 small ones around the tank, I've used them for frags primarily.

 

[Keeler]

Results are PH 8.3, Ammonia 0, NItrite 0, Nitrates is either 0 or 5, Calcium 480ppm. Is there another test I should buy/run?